Admissions

JD Program Application Form & Instructions

» Apply online using the LSAC electronic application service
» Download the application form

Whichever method you use to apply, please be sure to review the detailed application instructions as you complete the form. (Available below and in the LSAC application.)

Application Checklist

The following items are required to complete your application for admission. We will be unable to evaluate your application until all required items have been received in our office. An email will be sent to acknowledge receipt of your material and will include instructions on how to check your file status online.

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Application Fee Waivers

Application fee waivers are granted one-time-only. If you were granted a fee waiver for a previous term, you would not be eligible to receive future application fee waivers from Duke Law School. We are unable to accept merit-based fee waiver requests.

Automatic fee waivers: If you received a waiver of the fees associated with taking the LSAT, we will waive your application fee. If you apply electronically, LSAC will notify us if you received their fee waiver. If you submit a paper application, include documentation that identifies you as the recipient of the LSAC fee waiver.

Need-based fee waivers: We will be unable to consider fee waiver requests received after February 15, 2009. Only U.S. citizens and permanent residents are eligible to apply. Submit your request in writing directly to our office. Your request should include clear and complete information about your financial position and your parent's income. If you are enrolled in college, include your current undergraduate financial aid award letter. This information will be used to evaluate your request for a fee waiver. Notification will be sent by email.

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Academic Transcripts

All applicants must register with the Law School Data Assembly Service (LSDAS). LSDAS information is included in the LSAT & LSDAS Information Book or online at LSAC.org. Transcripts for all undergraduate and graduate work must be submitted directly to LSDAS.

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Foreign Transcripts

Duke Law School requires that foreign transcripts be submitted through the LSAC JD Credential Assembly Service (JD CAS) if you received your degree from an institution outside the U.S. or Canada, or if you completed the equivalent of more than one year of undergraduate study outside the U.S. (including its territories) or Canada. This service is included in the LSDAS registration fee. A Foreign Credential Evaluation will be completed by the American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers (AACRAO), which will be incorporated into your LSDAS report. To use the JD CAS, log in to your online account and follow the instructions for registering for the service. Be sure to print out a Transcript Request Form for each institution and send it promptly to them. More time is usually required to receive foreign transcripts. Questions about the JD CAS can be directed to LSAC at 215-968-1001, or lsacinfo@lsac.org.

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Law School Admission Test

All applicants must take the LSAT no later than December 2008. LSAT scores earned prior to June 2003 will not be considered. Duke considers all LSAT scores that are submitted, in the context of the entire application (transcripts, personal statement, letters of recommendation, evidence of leadership and engagement, and other information). In the case of multiple test scores, data show that the average score is generally the most useful in predicting law school performance. However, Duke may place greater weight on a high score if the applicant provides compelling information about why that score is a better indication of his or her potential. If you feel that one or more of your test scores does not accurately reflect your ability or potential, please explain this disparity in a separate attachment.

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Reapplications

To reapply, you must submit a new application and updated supporting material. Note on the application where indicated the year for which you last sought admission. Recommendation letters previously submitted can be used for the new application. Applications are maintained for one year after the application term.

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Bar Admission

We recommend that you investigate the rules governing bar admission in the jurisdictions where you intend to practice. Information about bar admission requirements may be obtained by contacting the appropriate state board of bar examiners.

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Application Instructions

Please read the following instructions carefully before preparing each section of your application.

Section 1: Application Processing Fee

Submit a check or money order made payable to Duke Law School in the amount of $70. If you apply electronically through LSAC, you have the option to pay by credit card. The application processing fee is non-refundable.

Section 2: Personal Information

Complete this section in full. Submit updates to your contact information directly to the Office of Admissions in writing (email is acceptable).

Section 3: Decision Cycle

Please select the decision cycle in which you would like to have your application reviewed.

Regular Decision: The deadline to apply through the regular decision cycle is February 15, 2009. You may apply for either a summer-entry or fall-entry program through the regular decision cycle.

Early Decision: The Early Decision program is an option available to applicants for the summer-entry dual degree programs including the JD/LLM in International and Comparative Law, and the JD/MA and JD/MS programs. The program is most appropriate for candidates who have concluded that Duke is their first-choice for law school and who do not anticipate the need to compare offers of financial aid in making a decision about where to matriculate. Candidates who apply through the Early Decision program may apply to other law schools, but are not permitted to apply to other binding early decision programs. If admitted to Duke Law School, Early Decision candidates will be required to immediately withdrawn their applications at other law schools, refrain from submitting new applications, and submit a $500 tuition deposit by January 11, 2009.

Early Decision candidates must apply no later than November 1, 2008. Applications must be complete no later than November 14, 2008. Duke Law School will notify Early Decision candidates about their status no later than December 31, 2008. Some Early Decision candidates may be "held" for review in the regular cycle; candidates who are held for consideration in the regular cycle will no longer be bound by the terms of the Early Decision agreement. Duke Law School reserves the right to provide other law schools with the names of candidates admitted through the binding Early Decision program.

Early Decision candidates must also sign the certification statement in Section 12.

Section 4: Degree Program Selection

You may apply to only one program. Check the one box indicating the degree program to which you are applying. Admission to one program is not transferable to another.

Applicants seeking admission to the following fall-entry dual degree programs must also submit a separate application to the appropriate Duke University graduate or professional school: JD/MD, JD/MEM, JD/MPP, JD/MTS, or JD/PhD. (JD/PhD programs are available in Political Science and Philosophy.) Contact the graduate or professional school directly to obtain application and admission requirements. Visit our website for additional information on dual degrees.

Applicants to the JD/MBA program must submit the special joint electronic application form.

The GRE is not required for applicants seeking admission to the following summer-entry dual degree programs. Submit an application to the Law School only: JD/LLM in International and Comparative Law; JD/MA in Art History, Classical Studies, Cultural Anthropology, East Asian Studies, Economics, English, Environmental Science and Policy, History, Humanities, Literature, Philosophy, Political Science, Psychology, Religion, Romance Studies, or Sociology; or JD/MS in Biomedical Engineering, Electrical & Computer Engineering, or Mechanical Engineering. Graduate departments recommend that you submit an additional statement of interest when applying to the JD/MA-MS program. This statement should be included with your Law School application. Do not apply to a summer entry program if you will be unable to begin the program in late May/early June.

The GRE is required for applicants seeking admission to the JD/MA in Engineering Management. This summer-entry dual degree program also requires you to submit separate applications to both the Law School and the Pratt School of Engineering.

Section 5: Applicant Status

Please indicate whether you are a first-time applicant to Duke Law School, or if you have applied previously. If you were a previous applicant, please indicate the term(s) for which you applied for admission.

Section 6: LSAT and TOEFL

Please provide the dates you took or will take the LSAT. All applicants must take the LSAT no later than December 2008. LSAT scores earned prior to June 2003 will not be considered. Contact LSAC to request material at 215-968-1001 or LSAC.org. We receive material from LSAC in both electronic and paper form; however, material is considered as received once the paper copy arrives in our office. Duke does not waive the LSAT requirement.

If applicable, please indicate the dates you took or will take the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). You must take the TOEFL if your first language is not English AND your undergraduate degree was obtained outside the United States. Submit a copy of your most recent TOEFL report directly to our office; do not submit via LSAC or request an original from ETS. Foreign applicants with graduate degrees in the U.S. are not eligible for TOEFL waivers.

Section 7: Educational and Professional History

Provide the name, city, and state of the high school where you earned your secondary diploma. Provide the names and locations of all colleges and universities you have attended, dates of attendance, major, degrees earned, and date the degree was awarded.

Please list up to four significant jobs or positions of responsibility, beginning with the current or most recent. Indicate the number of hours worked per week if the activity was during the school year. Please provide this information even if the jobs and/or activities are listed on your resume.

Section 8: Family Information

Complete the information requested regarding your parents.

Section 9: Conduct

Duke Law requires a candidate to reveal knowledge of all criminal incidents or disciplinary charges, even if expunged, sealed, or otherwise removed from the candidate=s records. When in doubt, you should err on the side of full disclosure, as subsequent discovery of a failure to fully and accurately answer these questions may have serious consequences. Failure to disclose information is often more significant than the act or event described in the questions. Failure to provide truthful answers, or failure to inform the Law School of any changes to your answers after submission of your application, may result in any of the following: misconduct investigation by the LSAC; revocation of admission; disciplinary action by the Law School; and/or denial of permission to practice law by the state in which you seek admission. You have an ongoing obligation to report any conduct that would require you to answer yes to any of the questions in this section during the pendency of your application. If an offer of admission is extended to you, the obligation to report conduct applicable to the questions in this section continues until your first day of class at Duke Law School.

If you answer yes to any of the questions, you must provide a supplementary statement including details, the current status of any disciplinary action or judicial sanctions, and the final resolution of the issues involved. If you answer yes to question 1, you will also be required to have a dean, registrar, department supervisor, judicial officer, or academic officer with access to official records from your institution submit a letter that provides complete information about the incident.

Section 10: Resume, Personal Statement, Optional Essay, and Recommendations

Resume: You must submit a current resume with your application. If you apply via LSAC, use the electronic attachment. Your resume should include your full name at the top and list all honors and awards you have received. Include dates for all items listed on your resume. There is no required length.

Personal Statement: You are required to submit a personal statement. If you apply via LSAC, use the electronic attachment. The statement is your opportunity to introduce yourself to the admissions committee and should include (1) what you think have been your significant personal experiences beyond what may be reflected in your academic transcripts and on your resume, and (2) your personal and career ambitions. There is no required length.

Optional Essay: You are welcome to supplement your personal statement with an optional essay. If you apply via LSAC, use the electronic attachment. You may submit a Duke-specific essay by letting us know why you want to go to law school and why you have decided to apply to Duke. Or, you may choose to submit an essay that describes how you will enhance the educational environment of the Law School and contribute to the diversity of the student body. Because we believe that diversity enriches the educational experience of all our students, Duke Law School seeks to admit students from a variety of academic, cultural, social, ethnic, and economic backgrounds. If you choose to submit the diversity essay, tell us more about your particular life experiences with an emphasis on how the perspectives that you have acquired would contribute to the intellectual community of the Law School.

Recommendation Letters: Two recommendation letters are required. The preferred method of receiving recommendation letters is through LSAC. References from friends, family friends, and relatives are strongly discouraged. Professors who have personal knowledge of your academic performance and potential should write your letters of recommendation. We will also accept recommendations compiled and submitted by a central reference system at your undergraduate institution. If you have been out of school for some time, you may substitute letters from employers or others who are well acquainted with your personal traits and intellectual potential. A signature is required on all letters of recommendation submitted, preferably on letterhead.

LSAC Letter of Recommendation Service: This service is included in your LSDAS registration and will accept generic and school specific letters. Letters submitted on your behalf are copied and included with your LSAC Law School Report. To use this service, follow the directions outlined in the LSAT & LSDAS Information Book or at LSAC.org.

Direct Letters to Duke: Complete the forms provided and distribute to those submitting letters directly to our office on behalf of your application.

Section 11: Conditions of Application and Signature

Applications will not be processed without a signature agreeing to the Conditions and certifying that the information is true and complete. You are obligated to notify the Office of Admissions immediately of any change in the information provided. If you apply via LSAC, you may submit your signature electronically or submit the signed Certification Letter separately.

Section 12: Early Decision Certification

Read this section carefully and sign the certification if you wish to apply to a summer-entry dual degree program through the binding Early Decision program. In addition, please select the appropriate decision cycle in Section 3.